BIO

Álex Rins was born on December 8th, 1995 in Barcelona, Spain to Rafael and Victoria. His first contact with the world of motorsport occurred very early in his life, as happens with many of his kind in World Championship racing. The first time he had a go on a motorized machine, Alex was only three. It was in 1998, when he was able to ride a quad that he had been given as a present. It was only his first try, but it would leave a significant and permanent mark on his personality.

Three years later, in 2001, a couple of friends of his father, Rafa, encouraged him to put Alex on a motorcycle just as a test. Rafa put his son on a Lem when he was four and that experience may have changed the rest of his life. It was enough to make him finally park the quad and start to dream of owning his own bike. Because of his insistence, Rins fulfilled his dream two years later and his parents ended up buying him a motocross KTM 50cc.

On the Constantí circuit he nurtured his great passion and began to train with his motorcycle. The following year 2003, thanks in great part to Montse Costa, he was able to participate in the Catalan and Aragonese Championships, obtaining a victory in the latter.

His true love for the tracks began in 2005, when Alex debuted in this discipline competing in the last three events of the Promo 50cc calendar. Two years later Alex rounded off a masterful season by winning the Catalan Championship of 80cc, the 70cc Promo, the Mediterranean Championship of 80cc, and the 12 hours of Vic Endurance.

Thereafter came 2008 - the year of discovery. After an excellent season in the Championship of Cataluña and in the Mediterranean in Pre125GP, someone important became aware of his talent. Emilio Alzamora, former 125cc world champion in 1999, fortuitously meets Álex at the Almeria circuit and offers him the first contract of his life to enroll under the structure of the Monlau School.

At the age of 14, he entered the Spanish Speed Championship (CEV) and during his first race he impressed everyone. In 2010 Álex defeated more mature riders like Maverick Viñales or Miguel Oliveira and achieved his first victory. He would go on to close the season with a fantastic third place. The image of an Álex Rins would be cemented as capable of fighting for victory in every race. This display allowed a sponsor as giant as Repsol to gamble on him for even greater challenges.

Many expectations grew about him and the pressure to win increased considerably during the Spanish Championship (CEV) of 2011. Nevertheless, Alex knew how to control it, did not fail, and was proclaimed Champion with two victories and three podiums places in seven races. In addition, he completed an incredible season by becoming European runner-up, only surpassed by Italian Romano Fenati.

In 2012 the doors of the Moto3 World Championship were opened to him. When only 16 years and four months old, he held the Spanish title and was a European runner-up. With the support of Repsol and Estrella Galicia, Álex made the leap to Moto3 World Championship riding a Honda bike. Two races were enough to get his first Pole Position in Jerez, and only four to get his first win at Le Mans, where he proved that people who had bet on him had not been wrong. With a slightly inferior motorcycle and on circuits that he did not know, he demonstrated his greatness in races. All that effort and the hard work from the team led him to get 141 points in the world championship. He earned the well-deserved 2012 Rookie of the Year title in Moto 3 and finished fifth in the final standings.

A few months later, already in 2013, the Barcelona rider began to truly dedicate himself to the sport. With a more competitive bike and the experience of a year in the World Championships, he only had to concentrate on his task and develop all his talent, fighting for the title until the very last race in the tightest finish in the history of the championship. Alex visited the podium in almost all the races, obtained six victories and eight pole positions. Everything was at stake with Luis Salom and Maverick Viñales and it was this last one where he finally tasted the glory in Valencia. Seldom has a young man achieved what Alex Rins had in just the second year within the World Championship. He had six victories and got pole position eight times.

In 2014 he left his reliable KTM and opted for the brand new Honda, a big question mark. At the conclusion of the season he secured third position in the final standings. Shortly thereafter it became public that during the 2015 season he would make the jump to Moto 2 with the Páginas Amarillas HP40 Team, managed by former 250cc world champion Sito Pons. The year ended with the balance sheet at two wins and six podiums.

In Moto2 he did not let anyone down. In his first year, Alex was more than successful, closing the season with the runner-up title and again receiving the Rookie of the Year title. His performance went from less to more throughout the season and he finished the year with a total of ten podiums -three third places, five second and two victories in Australia and Indianapolis, plus three poles in his first season in Moto2.

A year later all eyes were focused on Alex and Johann Zarco, the reigning world champion. Until the middle of the season he was fighting for the title with the French rider but several inopportune falls and an injury in the shoulder drastically reduced his chances to fight for the crown. He concluded his season with third position and a total of seven podiums, with two victories and one pole position.

And now we have arrived at 2017, where he made his MotoGP debut with the Team Suzuki Ecstar...